


Jason Wins At Life

by BunnyJess



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Green Lantern (Comics), Green Lantern - All Media Types, Green Lantern Corps (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Family, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Gun Violence, Gunshot Wounds, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd deserves Happiness, Jason Todd is a Crime Lord, Jason Todd is a Good Dad, Jason Todd is clever, Kyle Rayner is a Good Dad, M/M, Minor Injuries, White Lantern Kyle Rayner, the future Jason deserves, wound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 21:57:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15252873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyJess/pseuds/BunnyJess
Summary: For the past three years Jason had been extra careful while out on patrol. He’d changed from going out every night to selecting three or four a week, depending on his energy levels. He’d moved to New York and used a handful of faithful underlings to keep his crime empire running in Gotham. He’d wanted to leave the crime lord role behind but knew it’d create a power vacuum that would only make more trouble for the people of the Narrows and Bowery. None of the Bats or Birds bothered to patrol that area because the super villains preferred to hit areas that’d get more media coverage. His 'gang’ managed to keep crime low and kept children safe.(Or - how a small infant with a tragic start can change the course of the big bad Red Hood's life)





	Jason Wins At Life

**Author's Note:**

> So after so many chapters of Look What You Made Me Do I just had to write some Good Dad!Bruce.

For the past three years Jason had been extra careful while out on patrol. He’d changed from going out every night to selecting three or four a week, depending on his energy levels. He’d moved to New York and used a handful of faithful underlings to keep his crime empire running in Gotham. He’d wanted to leave the crime lord role behind but knew it’d create a power vacuum that would only make more trouble for the people of the Narrows and Bowery. None of the Bats or Birds bothered to patrol that area because the super villains preferred to hit areas that’d get more media coverage. His 'gang’ managed to keep crime low and kept children safe. They’d even helped set up safe, secure children’s homes and bunkers for those without homes. If they wanted to they could go to the children’s homes to get off the street forever. If not the bunkers were available for them to use as a safe place to sleep day or night. No-one ever got robbed or attacked in the bunkers and it was a known place amongst the street kids as a place where no-one would touch them; law enforcement or those with nastier intentions. Jason had purchased an apartment near to Central Park It fit the ‘Crime Lord’ image for his lieutenants and provided a safe place for the reason he’d moved from Gotham. The trip took his people two hours but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make when it came to his world.

Three years ago Jason had found a baby dumped on the street. He did extensive research into them and found that their father had dumped them, with the intention of them dying, after he’d killed their mother. He knew he could have taken them to a hospital and leave them there as it was a safe haven. Then the little child had reached out of the bundle of blankets and gripped his finger with a surprisingly strong grip. They were only a couple of weeks old and he knew it’d be a struggle with everything else he did in life, but he wasn’t prepared to leave them to the system. He knew he had the resources to provide a good life if he moved out of the Narrows. He looked into their deep brown eyes and he was smitten. He’d not found a name in all his research, their parents had really let them down, and so he settled on Amelia Catherine Todd.

It was while Amelia had been drinking her bottle snuggled into the crook of his elbow that he started sorting out his future. While he’d been with Talia she’d helped him with his studies, not just in all the ways to kill people but also with graduating high school and a distance undergraduate degree from Oxford. With such a prestigious university already in his education acceptance to a post-graduate course at Columbia was easy. Amelia’s bright eyes and eager appetite, along with all the growth she’d already done in the couple of weeks they’d been a family, just motivated him to gain a Masters and eventually a PhD in literature and history. The large collection of languages he spoke opened up doors for him in translating classic literature and other works from their native tongues into English. There were a great many that hadn’t been translated and so he found himself able to get a decent amount of work.

When trying to get a job to legitimize some of his income it’d been key that he could work from home, or at least only work a couple of days a week. He hated the idea of leaving Amelia with a day care when he had the money to be with her. They lived a comfortable life and none of Jason’s family had discovered his day life, or that he’d even moved from Gotham. The only people that knew in the ‘hero’ community were his ex-teammates and best friends, Roy Harper and Koriand’r, along with his long term partner Kyle Rayner. He and Kyle had gotten together a few months after Amelia had come into Jason’s life. Despite his initial reluctance to start a relationship with anyone while he and Amelia were still finding their feet with Kyle being gone in space for long periods due to being a White Lantern, he found it easier to settle into the roles of both father and lover. It helped that Kyle loved Amelia and, after they’d been together for six months, moved in to assume the role of a second parent in her life.

That was until a disastrous patrol when Amelia was three and a half. He’d been about to wrap up and head back to New York where Kyle and Amelia were waiting for him when he heard a woman scream. He jumped across a couple of rooftops and down into the alley where three men were cornering a woman, guns and knives drawn while she was scrabbling backwards on the scum covered floor. Jason breathed in a couple of steadying breaths and stepped from the shadows.

“You know there are rumours about Red Hood.” He said, his mechanical voice pulling the attention of all four occupants in the alley. “Some say he’s just a thug with grand ambitions, others say he’s a dead bird come back to life, some even say he’s just a by-product of Gotham’s street.” He stepped closer to the men, waving one of his blades theatrically through the air. “Personally I like the idea of being a dead bird come back to life, no need to worry about heaven or hell if you’re a zombie.” He flipped the blade around so he could get into proper hand-to-hand combat. He’d been trained how to wield many a weapon during his life, but it still felt most natural when he had a blade in his hand and fought like he was back on the streets. It was the first style of fighting he’d learnt, almost bred into him by his birthplace, with Willis adding in the blade once he was older.

The thugs lunged at him as the woman finally managed to get to her feet and scamper away. The fight was brutal and he had managed to get down two of the assailants when the third finally opened fire. He felt pain blister through his thigh and cursed dropping his attention. Jason grunted out a curse while he pulled his blade from the hip he’d lodged it in. Spinning on his heal he managed to plant it into the man’s knee and knock him to the floor. He stood over the creep and kicked him once in the head knocking him unconscious.

It was only once he was back on the roof that he took stock of the wound in his leg. His league training had forced him to ignore pain during all fights as it could be the difference between win and loss. He tugged at the hole in his combat trousers to get a full look and felt a wave of dizziness swim through him. The bullet had been one of the newer ones on the black market, exploding on impact and creating a disaster of a wound. His leg was bleeding significantly and he had no idea how he’d make it back to a safe house, let alone New York, without passing out. Letting out a resigned sigh he pressed the communicator on his helmet.

“Hood?” Oracle’s voice crackled through the comm. “Hey O, I’ve got a…” his head swam and he slumped down to his knees. “Hood?!” A note of desperation cut through her distorter. “Fuck,” Jason bit out as he pushed a dressing harder to the wound. “Need help. Wound. GPS.” He could hear the clicking of Oracle’s keyboard as she got his location and reported to the rest of his _family_. “Okay, just hold on Hood. B and Wing are on their way. Figured they’d be the only ones capable of lifting your heavy ass.” She tried to joke but he could hear the undercurrent of desperation and fear in her voice. Oracle kept up a stream of nonsense babble until a shadow fell over Jason on the roof.

Looking up and seeing Batman tower over him, concern making his jaw twitch despite the cowl hiding the rest of his face, still made a part of Jason relax. For all that had gone on in their past a part of Jason still desperately cried out for his _dad_ to save him, to help him, to just love him. He was pulled from the hard gaze of the Bat by the concerned, and slightly annoying, babble of his older brother. Nightwing was crouched next to him trying to assess the wound Jason was refusing to stop pressing down on. Before any words could come from Jason, Batman scooped his second son into his arms and darted back to the car.

It was only once in the cave, Alfred fussing with the wound while his father and older brother switched between pacing and stroking his hair out of his face, that he remembered he was late back to New York. Jason reached up and grabbed Dick’s wrist, stopping it from running through his hair. He watched the panic shoot across his older brother’s face and cursed their fragile past.

“Am…Amelia,” Jason managed to grunt out, the local anaesthetic doing nothing to dull the pain due to the lingering pit in his physiology. Dick looked him over curiously, he’d always thought his younger brother was gay but now wasn’t sure. “That your girlfriend Little Wing?” He tried for a joking tone but it fell short. Jason shook his head and managed to pull a photo from his gauntlet. It was a reckless piece of information to keep on him and he suspected he’d be chewed out by Bruce once he wasn’t getting shrapnel pulled from his thigh, but he’d needed the reminder of his home close. The photo showed Kyle, Amelia and him at Coney Island. They’d gone for a day trip so she could play the games and just have fun. She had a big dollop of pink cotton candy in her hand and some was in both men’s hair while the three of them wore matching grins. It had been a split second decision on Kyle’s part to take the selfie, his ring constructing a Polaroid camera and holding it at the right length to fit them all in.

“Little Wing is that Rayner?” Dick finally managed to get out, his shock at the family photo causing his brain to short circuit. Jason just nodded and pressed it into Dick’s hand, “him and my…” he had to pause to breathe deeply while Alfred removed a particularly awkward piece of shrapnel. “My daughter,” he finally managed to get out. Dick felt a sudden, crushing wave of heartbreak and desperation wash over him. His little brother had a family of his own and no-one else knew. He’d wondered why the Red Hood didn’t patrol as much but assumed it was due to negative reasons, like the pit influence getting worse. He never even considered that it’d be due to such a positive thing like a child.

“What,” Dick cleared his throat. “What do you need me to do?” He managed to get out, voice strained with sadness. Jason pointed to his destroyed trousers lying on a nearby trolley, “my phone is in there. Speed dial one is Kyle, tell him to get here with her, please Dick.” Jason’s voice was small, quiet, and completely different to how any of the family usually heard him. Dick nodded and stepped away to make the call, Bruce replacing his spot near Jason’s head.

Alfred had just finished wrapping his thigh in a padded bandage when a bright white light floated into the cave. As it approached the now crowded medical bay it became clearer. Kyle Rayner was wearing his White Lantern suit and had a baby carrier construct on his chest. Amelia was happily sitting on his back, face just visible over his right shoulder. She was surrounded by a cushion of white, an obvious construct to soothe the nervous father flying to Gotham with his daughter.

Kyle lightly touched down at Jason’s feet and smiled at him. All of Jason’s family were loitering nearby and all knew they’d never seen Jason smile in the way he did for Kyle. It was pure love, happiness, and acceptance. Jason just nodded his head and Kyle walked further up the bed, unlatching the carrier as he went. He reached behind him and swung Amelia around to rest on his thigh as he let the construct disappear. She usually giggled when he dissolved the carrier but this time she had serious face.

“Daddy why is Papa here and not at home? He’s hurt.” Her voice had a slight Manhattan twang that just continued to confuse Jason’s family. Jason let out a slight chuckle and moved her from Kyle and into his lap. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home tonight Munchkin, a nasty man hurt Papa’s leg and your Great-Granddad Alfie had to patch me up.” He pointed over to the butler who was trying to school his expression and hide the shock at how easily Jason referred to him. “Okay Papa. Are you feeling better? Does it need a booboo better kiss?” She asked, her mood changing to her usual happy demeanour. Jason moved her slightly so she could see the wrappings on his thigh. “I think it’s a bit too painful but you can give the booboo kiss to my cheek instead.” Jason offered to his three year old who giggled and kissed his cheek. Bruce cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Jay-lad, how long have you three been a family?” He asked, trying to hide the hurt he was feeling. Jason pressed his nose into Amelia’s dark brown curls and inhaled, her natural scent and the strawberry shampoo they used for her calming him down. “Amelia and I have been together since she was only a couple of weeks old, Kyle and I have been together for just over three years.” He felt ashamed at having kept them in the dark but when they’d formed their little family the atmosphere between him and the other Bats was disruptive at best, violent and destructive at worse. Kyle reached out and took one of Jason’s hands, squeezing tightly to provide support. “My Papa is really clever. He makes me the best pizza and helps me learn lots of things. Daddy is better at fixing my booboo’s as he does it for Papa so much.” Amelia suddenly burst out. As long as she’d been able to talk she’d defended her parents. The kids she socialised with were often the same type of kids who’d bullied Jason when he’d first come to the manor. All of them were too rich, too stuck up, and too easily influenced by their parents. Even at such a young age they were being taught that there was a difference between themselves and Amelia.

“You love your Papa and Daddy a lot don’t you Amelia.” Bruce said. Jason was surprised to recognise the voice as the same one he used to comfort victims from his time as Robin. Amelia nodded at him, her infectious smile making the three men around her smile too. “If it’s okay with your Papa I’d love for you all to stay for a few days. I want to get to know my beautiful Granddaughter and her Daddy; when he’s not working.” Jason looked around at his family, eyes landing back on Amelia. He could see the cautious joy in her brown, almost black eyes. She may have only been a couple of weeks old when he found her but she’d always been cautious around new people. He knew it was a survival instinct when she was a baby, now she was still shy and preferred to play alone than with other children. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and ruffled her hair.

“I think we’d love to stay.” He glanced at Kyle and then Amelia. Picking up on what his partner wanted, Kyle scooped Amelia into his arms, peppering her small cheeks in kisses that caused musical giggles. “I’ll be up soon pickle, Papa has to make some calls and, if Uncle Timmy lets me borrow his tablet, I can also sort out moving my work around so I’m free for the next few days too.” A wave of sleepiness seemed to wash over the toddler as she nodded and burrowed into Kyle’s shoulder, her arms tight around his neck. He started rubbing small circles on her back and lent over to press a kiss to Jason’s lips. A sickeningly sweet and extremely sarcastic ‘awwww’ suddenly rang out from Stephanie, quickly joined in by Cass and Dick. Tim stepped into Jason’s line of sight looking slightly anxious.

“Um, Jay, ah, I, I don’t want to be, eh.” Tim, usually so calm and to the point in the field, was stumbling over his thoughts. “I work as a translator Tim. Got a degree in German and Russian from Oxford, a Masters in translation from Columbia and am currently studying for my PhD. I’m in high demand to translate ancient texts because of the number and variety of languages I speak. I need to re-arrange a few meetings with clients if I’m to play at the wholesome family for a few days.” His achievements academically stunned the family into silence allowing Kyle to slip up to the manor with Amelia and Alfred. Alfred knew about Jason’s Bachelors degree’s and so didn’t feel the need to stay with the family while it all sunk in.

“Little Wing, like damn! I knew you were clever but goodness gracious I’ve been bamboozled!” Dick said, flapping his hands around. “You make me and Timmy look like complete failures with all that academic success!”

“Well that’s not difficult to do.” Bruce said. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder, the firm grip settling him as much as it had done at 13 as it did now at 28. “I’m proud of you Jason, for all of this. Amelia and the academic work, you’ve clearly worked hard and it’s paid off.” Jason flushed at the praise and ducked his head down, eyes looking at his palms in his lap. He’d never thought his family would be adverse to him having a child or a legitimate income, but he had had fears of them wanting to take her away from him. Bruce’s words had helped start to patch up the hole in his heart that’d been aching since he was sixteen and under Talia’s care.


End file.
